Lost my Penny
by Nihi-san
Summary: People are to be remembered for how they live than how they die. Many will not see the truth, but I will. And your end, will not be the end of your life. A quick story I wrote in response to the latest episode of RWBY. Spoilers if you have not been following the show. I appreciate reviews and comments to help me in my writing.


**Hey everyone, new author Nihi-san here. I just recently started watching the show RWBY and instantly fell in love with it. I've actually been writing for a good few years now but never have gotten the balls to post any of them aside from academic requirements. So here's my official first published story on fanfiction and I hope to have more of them. I appreciate feedback and criticism to help me improve my writing as well. Thank you for taking your time to read and I hope we can get along more in the future.**

 **Also, spoilers for Season 3, especially regarding the latest episode.**

* * *

Penny lay dead in front of the entire audience.

Students, citizens, soldiers, all were horrified by the scene that lay before them and the dead girl on camera and on-stage for the entire world to witness. A festival, dedicated to the expression of culture and people was turned into a cruel show of brutality and horror.

"No! Penny!"

"How could she murder her in cold blood?!"

"That monster!"

The resounding cries of those around me, screaming bloody murder for the death of someone so pure and lovely had awakened a terror and anger that no one would have thought would've ever existed. I too, could not understand why she had to die.

Penny was a friend of mine. I was senior in Beacon academy who was working with the army as an intern. My inability to follow rules properly and I being a dunce at my job had caused me the ire of many especially General Ironwood. But it also got the attention of Penny, who recognized me both as a soldier and a fellow student. We eventually stuck together and I was often assigned as a personal guard.

But Pyrrha Nikos? She too, I could not understand. She knew her semblance, her power, if she could so control it, why did she tear apart poor Penny? It doesn't make sense. She would never be the type to do so, even so with Yang.

Something was not right. I had to find out what was going on.

I took another look at Penny's mangled body. I cringed and cried inwardly. Even though I knew enough to know that she could be rebuilt again, it could not take away the pain of losing a friend, even so much as temporarily.

I dialed in my comms and called for a team to retrieve Penny and investigate my suspicions.

A long period of silence, and no response came through.

"What the hell is going –"

A voice then came over the entire audience. A voice I did not find familiar. She gave a speech questioning on who to trust when we are kept in the dark. It was designed particularly to sew chaos and breed dissent. That was enough to know what was going on. Someone was pulling the strings. I don't care who they were or what they wanted. Penny was dead and I wanted vengeance for what they've done.

I thought back to Penny, and her words echoed back in my memory of our last conversation together.

* * *

"Salutations! I hope you enjoyed my performance in the last match of the festival!"

"As usual Penny, you were magnificent. Your father would be proud."

She smiled and gave a quick hug to me.

"Say, friend, why do you think I fight?"

"You were designed as a combat-capable android equipped with a vast variety of weapons."

"Do you mean then I was purely designed for war?"

I shook my head to disagree.

"I don't think you're primarily made for war Penny."

She tilted her head in confusion.

"What do you mean? These swords, boosters, my armor, how do you mean so?"

"Penny, when I look at you, I don't see an android made for war or bred for destruction. What I see is a cute girl with freckles whose best weapon is her optimism and cheerfulness. You're not a weapon Penny, you're a person."

"But I'm not made of human flesh or organs. Just machine parts and weapons."

I pointed a finger where my heart was and then pointed to her core.

"It's not what we're made of that makes us Penny, it's who you are."

I kneeled down and gave her a hug of my own and then gave her a smile to reassure her.

"Trust me Penny, you're a wonderful person, not a weapon. I'm sure your friends would agree with that."

She jumped for joy and squealed in delight at my words.

"You know – when I hear you say those things, I really do feel like a girl!"

I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly.

"It's nothing Penny, just doing what I can to –"

She tiptoed and gave me a peck on the cheek.

" – help."

She ran away from me but before passing the corner, she looked back and waved to me.

"Thank you dear friend! I have to go to my next match-up now so be sure to tune in!"

She turned the corner as I waved back to her.

And then she was gone.

* * *

And she still is.

I took one last look at Penny's body before turning away.

Suddenly the sirens blazed as the automated voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"Warning. Level 9 Grimm attack inbound. All citizens are advised to seek shelter."

I watched as the panicked civilians shoved and pushed each other to escape the stadium. The chaos had been dealt. The enemy had made their move and this was just the beginning.

I had to make mine.

I dialed in the coordinates of my location and had my locker send in my weaponry.

Readying my saber, I cocked it as I loaded my dust ammunition into the cartridge.

Throwing on my armored vest, I clicked all the straps and threw my helmet on.

My comms rang as my officer begun to bark orders at me.

"Where thehell have you been?! We've got Grimm and White Fang on deck 6 and they're approaching the school grounds fast!"

"On my way sir. I'll stop them, don't worry."

"Double time it! We're losing ground fast!"

His voice faded on the other end of the line. The civilians screaming, the Grimm roaring, sirens blazing.

And somewhere in the back of my head I could still hear her though she was dead.

Everything. My lost dear friend.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"You're always so uptight when you're guarding me! Be a little freer won't you!"

"Can't solve that problem? Let Penny the master machine help you!"

"Salutations again!"

"You're always my guard these days huh? Does that mean you'll always protect me?"

Penny . . .

My dear friend, the one I was supposed to protect and failed.

And maybe – just maybe . . .

I wiped my eyes dry of tears.

"I'll avenge you Penny. I'll make every single one of these bastards pay!"


End file.
